Brake shoe for car retarders



Feb. 25, 1930. w. K. HowE BRAKE lSHOE FOR CAR RETARDERS Y Original Fi1ed NOv. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 25, 1930. w. K. HowE' y 1,748,916

BRAKE SHOE FOR CAR RETARDERS n Original Filed Nov. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ze ATTORNEY f Parent-edf Feb. `25.11930 y .Dif SS BRAKE sHoE iron CAE RETARDEn's f f origina-1 'application fired .'1vo've`m-1m 21','19215,`ser1a1 No. 70599,.- Yiiiyi'aea 1' f Y I -12,192e.1 serial No. 115,562.

l lh-is inventionrelates to braking apparatus located along the trackgfor retaridingpassing railway cars ygenerally known asfcar retardersior track brakes, andmore particu` Vlarly to the brake' shoes thereof and that por- Y tion of thetrack brake .-whichfacilitates quick f and readyreplacement of such brake shoes-- y vthe brake` shoes thereof; areexposed to severev 15 I 'y /'Car retarders `ofthe track brake type,in` `which the cars are retarded by .frictional re# sista-nce ldue to stationary brake shoes associated with; the tracky gripping'the sides-of the car wheels, serve to retard all carswhich pass lthrough the same, and-for this reason usageand require frequent replacement. `In

' lview-of these considerations it isproposed` in Y accordancey -withgthe presentginvention to constructthe shoe beams on :which the lbrake shoes are mounted,'and these brake shoes, so

as to constitute counterpart structures of quickAIV det'acliable'k kinter-enga'gingl means,

whereby theV brake shoes may bereadilyre y moved for replacement and thelike. More particularly, it isproposed to construct the brake shoe so that a suitable Abolt may be anchored therein, the various parts being so constructed thatv this anchoring between 'the bolt andthe brake shoe is maintained so .long

f as the bolt is in kits normal iiXed position.-

V'ings in'which Y f. y.

lOther objects, purposes and characteristic features'ofthe-invention will appear as the description'thereofprogresses.

In describing theinvention in detail refer` ence Will'be.made to the'accompanying draw-4 Fig. 1 showsaplan view of a portion of a car retarder Aof the track brake typesmore l completely shownand-described in the parent application hereinafter referred t;`

f Fig. 2v is'- a sectional elevation taken onthe Y Fig. -3 illustrates how the steelinsertfis castinto the brake shoe,n this viewbeingtalen ontheline 3l-3of'Fig-2; u j y FigLll isVv a` Vvertical cross-section taken crosswise through the shoe beam and vthe' brake shoe illustrating the manner-'of aty tachment of the brake shoe, and

taken on the line 4-#4 of Fig.' 3; and l Y, 1

F igais` a horizontalcross-section'of the .and/ this application. led .TuneY shoe beam and brake shoe also illustrating thel i manner of attachment-of these-parts.

. This application is a ,division of my prior application Ser; No.` 7 0,599, filed# November 21,1925. y 1. VReferring tov the drawings,`a-`portion of'` a railway track comprising a rail 1 vsecured to t1es2 through the medium of guide blocks 3, more particularly shown in Fig. 2 rhasbeen illustrated. The various. ties, 2: are fastened together by an langle bar 4 extendingfalong one endlof the ties, and a `bar of strapiron Y extending along an intermediate' point'of the ties, these bars or straps beingfastened to the ties by lag screws 7, asshown. Parallel to the anglebaret andspaced a' suitable distance above 1`2,-these angle leversbeing pivotallysupported on thepinsillandlthrough themedium of pins 13 and 14 arefadapted to move the girder beams 17 and 18s-in opposite direc-4 tions as the double -anglelevfersL are moved 1n a certain direction These girder beams 17V andj18 are of identical construction, and

projecting aperturedlug-17a: and 18a 'andin the same, is ay bearing piece l0 which,i1f con'- Y vnectloniwith the angle bar 4,' forms'rjournals for pins l11 of the various kdoubleairgle levers eachfi'ncludey an upwardly and sidewardly .il

the .constructionillustrated, are arranged sov that these 'lugs are on opposite ends l.of

the parallelly arranged girdersf17 and/18.

Referring to Fig. 2, the "right handends of the girder beams `17l and 18. reston the" strap l girderabeam kguide ,is of siicliwidththat it may accommodate the free' ends of girder 5 and Vare held against transverse ymovement by'al Urshaped girder beam guide 20. f .This 85 beams l2l and 22 whichfextendunderneath the otherrrail (not shown) of the trackway,

the opposite ends ofthegi'rder beams211 and 22 being-supported in the girder beam guide similar to the one shown. It fshouldbe noted that the right hand .ends Yof girder beams 21.

and 22ar`e spaced Vapart in thegirder `beam guide and that the-fgirder beams' 17 and 18 are operativelyv connected tothe'girder beams v21 and 22 by links 28and 29,'.respectively *Y 1 From'fthe construction" thus .far described, it appears that if the dou-ble anglelever 12 (see Fig. is moved upwardly, that thelug Cil 17a moves toward the lett and the lug 18a moves toward the right.; in other words, the lugs projecting from adjacent girderbeams move toward each other as the double angle lever is moved to a higher braking position. Since the various groups of angle levers and associated mechanisms are the same, they may be assigned like reference characters havingdistinctive exponents. .The various double angle levers l2' are connected together by a main operating beam 30. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the guide blocks 3 on opposite sides of the raill are of identi# cal construction and that they provide, in a manner shown and described in the parent application, a slidable engagement between the shoe beams 33 and the guide blocks 3, thus permitting independent lateral movement of the shoe beams 33, but not permitting rolling movement of these shoe beams 33. ln'

this connect-ion an Vadjoining pair of vthese locks 3may be cast integral, it desired, in which event they will be passed over the end `of the rail during assembling.

It should be noted that one shoe beam 33 is provided for every two double Vangle levers 12 and that one end of these shoe beams is provided with a vertically disposed slot into which the adjoining end oi another shoe beam having a projecting tongue which snugly fits this slot, is adapted to engage; in other words, each` shoe beam has a vertical slot on one end and a vertically disposed tongue on the othersand the tongue'ot'each shoe beam engages the slot of its adjoining shoe beam.

This articulates Vtheconnec-tion between adjacent shoe beams thus afording what may be'said to be a continuous flexible braking surface. Referring to Fig;`2, it will be noted that a spring guide 35 is connected pivotally by a pin 36 between ianges projectingirom thev shoeV beam 33 and thatthe free. end of this spring guide 35Y extends through theper'- foration of a lug projecting 'from one of the girder beams, such, for instance, as the lug 18a projecting from thel girder beam 18 shown in Fig. 3. This spring guide 35 isthreaned atits free end and carries a nut 37 and a lock nut 38 whereby the spacing between the shoe beams for any particularr retarder'position may be determined. Onthis-spring guide 35 is carried an initially tensioned coil spring 40, the ini-tial tension oi which may be adjusted by thel initial tension varablespacer comprising the threaded bushing 41 and the nut 42 threaded thereon. It readily appears that the minimum or initial tension toY which the spring 40 is compressed is determined by this spacing bushing 41V and nut 4Q after the nuts 37 and 38 have once been adjusted; so that not only vcan the spacing between the brake shoe beams 33 be fixed, but the initial or minimum tension of the spring 40 may be adjusted to any desired value.

For reasonsY obvious to those skilledinA the isy placed inthe mould and cast integral with the shoe 45, the cast iron employed being of a composition generallyusedfirr brakez shoes Von freight cars which has all of the desired characteristics, such as, toughness, flexibility andcoefcient of friction. In order to effect a substantial connection between the brake shoe 45 and its steel insert 46, this` insert 46 is perforated as shown at 47, yso that the molten ironwill flow into these perforations, and upon cooling and contracting, it will rmly connect the insert to` theubrakevshoe. By looking at Fig. ll it will be noted' thatv the brake shoes 45 are arrangedend to end in a manner so that endwise movement of a single shoe is permitted only tov a very slight extent, and that very little clearance' between the shoe beam 33 and therailll is present so that special securing means is necessary to hold the shoe 45 in position in a. manner so that any one of. the brake shoes may bey removed separately without removing adjoining brake shoes. lnrthe particularl embodiment illustrated, this is accomplished by having the insert 46 provided with elongatedlongitudii nally arranged slots 48, each of which, slots is adapted to allow the T-shapedhead49 ot the bolt 50 vto pass therethrough, a cavityof sutiicient size beingleft inthe casting of the brake shoe-45 to. allow this Tishapedfhead 49 ing the brake shoe. From this construction it willr readily appear that if the nut 51 is loosened and backecloi",tlie bolt 50 maybe pushed inwardly `until the square portionthereof has passed out of the square opening in the shoe beam 33,. whereupon the bolt 50] may be turned through an: angle of substantially and the brake shoe may be slipped ofi by allowingv the T-shaped head to pass through the slot 48. To facilitate turning of the bolt 50, a transverse hole is preferably drilled near its outer endto receive a suitable pin 52y (see Fig'. .4), or other tool', bv means oi which the bolt can be Veasily turned. lso, it should be noted that the brake. shoe 45 has cast integral therewith a projecting lll) - :"beams.l Likewise, 'the disposition of the.

' y 50 'Ofvvertieally as Wellasho lip 53 wliiclrengages "af-longitudinally ai,

ranged groove contained in the brake jshoe beam 38. Thisengagenient of the lip 53 with this groove-to a large extent'relieves the bolt v 'izontally acting shearing stresses*A v l j i v 'By'reason of the construction of the `brake Vslices and the shoe beams described, there; is

provided a quick.detachableconnection -between the shoes 'and the shoe beams which maintains the shoes against ldisplacement'by theforce racting upon them in the use ofthe retarder, but4 also permits ready'removal and replacement of the shoes as they become damaged or sworn.. It should be noted that the brakeshoes are arranged longitudinallyin ay j rowend-to end, sothatendwise movement'of` the brake vshoes can' fnot Abe utilized to pro- I vide for engagementior disengagement as a means for 4 attaching the shoes vto the j shoe Y ybrake shoes `with relation tothe track rail allows only a limited amountof movement of the brake lshoes away from `the .shoe beams toward the rails. Itis important, therefore,`

thatthe shoe attaching means should be'of such character that it. may bey engaged and disengaged without endwise -move`ment of: the shoe, and with a' limitedamount of sides wise movement toward .the track'railgy Also, A. on account of exposure to the rubbrngactionV Lof the wheels,it is desirable'to maintain Vthe surfaceiof'the brake shoe uniform anduninterrupted, so that a further desirable limitation of the shoe attaching means is lthat it. c shouldconnect Atothe back face of the brake shoe, i. e.,the,face next tothe shoe beam. The

shoe attaching means'of this invention, including'obvious variations and modifications of the particular:structure shown, Asatisfies" these. practical vree'luirement's and limitations.'

1 y v :Havingvthu's'shown and described onepar# r ticularfformbfthe vrinventionand howfit is 'performed,fit is desired to be understood thaty the; particular i construction shown and described does not exhaust all possible forms `of means for carrying out-the functions with` in the scope of the presentinvention, and that various changesandv .modifications may' be made without, departingv from the scope of the invention or the Iideas of meansiinderly.- ingthe same. `f

" ,Whatliclaim as 'newfandj desire to secure by Letters'latent'iszf- Y. y

y gl. Af readily detachable brake shoe forl car retarders vof the type-in vwhich brake shoes frictionally engage the sides ,fofcarwheels,A

andlin 'which shoe beams have holes therein of :non-circular configuration', each hole f of whichfcontains'fay bolt-having a 'iT-shaped head, thebo'dy of"s aid boltfbeing generally round but having the y portion I normally con` `tained'in suchy hole formed to havea correspendingv non-circular configuration 'compriSing, a brake shoe.havingf'aislet-allowing'l said T-shajLJ-e'dl head to -pass therethrough, but which will not allow saidhead to passthere- 'through if said bolt has been turnedthrough an angle offsubstantially 909, whereby. ysaid y i .7ov 1 .Y moved outafa-r enoughito bring/the; parts ofV 1 ynen-circrilar configura-tion out of cooperative relaticn with its shoefbeam hole andy the bolt brake shoe inayloe .removed ifsaid bolt is is turned to bring'the T-shaped head into registration with the slot' in the brake shoe.-

2. A brake shoe for car retarders of the .y track brake type compris1ng,ran 'oblong mem-"j insert cast integral therewith, said steel insert beingfiat-and forming .thebackA of said brakev shoe so that 'the brake yshoe' willV rmly rest against a fiat shoe beam for supportingthe same' the yinsert having'v oblonO--o enin s ber consisting ofa'casting-having a steel plate v therein arranged lengthwise in said insert:

and in alignment with eachother, `saidcastingshaving recesses molded .therein to provide socketsforT-headed bolts the heads of which mayr pass throughV said openings when assuming a certain .angular position but-y which heads vwill not pass throughsaid 'openings if the bolts assumevanother angular posit-ien.l .n f. v

V3. A: brake'shoe'v for car retarders ofthe typefn which brake shoes-frictionally engage the sides of passing car wheels'l comprising, an elongated bar ofvcast;metalhaving recesses cast into the back thereofand having va fiat steel' plate iii-sertkcast into *thel bacl;

thereof, ,said steel plate beingso shaped that therethrough V if rin `another. position, wherebyv the complete `brake'gshoe;'structure may be `anchored to avsuitable -shoe beam.-= f ,Y

iiov` 4. A: liraleishoe for 'carretarders.of-fthe j type in which brake shoes. frictionally engage f the sides of passing cari-wheels comprising,

an elongated .bar of'cast metal having` recesses cast into the'bacl; thereof and having a flat steel plateinsert castJ into the back thereof, said steel plate being so"'sliaped'that uponA 'cooling ofthe casting itis firmlyanehored thereto'and forms an integral part thereof, said plate having slot-sgtherein arranged longitudinally of said elongated barland each located over one of' saidrecesses, said recesses receiving bolts having Tc-shaped heads and a body portion of non-circular configuration,

the heads passing tliroughsaid'slots if turned position, rwhereby the complete brake "shoe y 1254v linv onevpositionv butnot.` 'if turned in another structure may be anchoredfto a suitableshoe' f beam containing holes of vsimilar non-circular configurationfor receiving said bolts,gsaid boltsfwhenain their normal positionhaving their noir-,circular portions containedA in the non-circularholesby saidbolts and/if partlyv retracted permitting'theT-shaped heads to be turned'to disengagesaid slots'.

5. ,Means-for frictionally engaging the side of a;.car, wheel comprising, a shoe beam arranged4A longitudinally along a track rail of Ya railway track including a vertically disgular position, said anchoring'members passing'through'the holes in the shoe beam, means associated `with the anchoring members Ato facilitate turning'them, and means for moving said anchoring members -endwise to clamp the shoeagainst the shoe beam.

6'.' In acar retarder,'the combination with a `shoe beam and a brake shoe having faces andvedges supported thereby, of fastening elements passing. through said shoe beam and having a separable attachment to the rear face of said shoe. said fastening elements being` disengageable from the shoe without edgewisemovement of said shoe.

7. In' a. car Ietarder,.in combination a shoe beam extendingalongfthe track rail, a brake shoe ontheffront face of said beam, and fastening :means for said shoe passing through said beam from the rear, and meansconnecting said fasteningl means to the rear face of the shoe and permitting detachment therefrom without endwise movement'of the shoe.

8. A brake'shoe of the character described attachable and detachable with relation to a shoe beamfwithout requiring endwise movement `of the shoe, comprising ablock of cast metal reinforced'at its back byia steel plate, said plate and block being formedwith means for securing a fastening element to the rear of the shoe without the relative displacement of the shoe-'and said fastening element in a direction-lengthwise of the shoe.

9.' A brake shoe of the character described comprising, a rectangular block of friction material formed` with two longitudinally spaced recesses and slots in one face, said slots being adapted to admit the head of a fastening member, said recesses .being shaped to permit' turning of 'said fastening member through anangle to thus retain it in place.

10. In a car retarder, in combination, a shoe beam, a Vbrake shoe having a socket in its inner face, a rectangularly slotted plate cast into the inner face of the brake shoe with its slet over said socket, and a rectangularly headed bolt, receivable through said slot and intosaidA-socket,fonly when inl one angular position of the bolt, detachably connecting l the'shoetothefbeam. Y

11. In a car retarder, in combination, a shoe beam, a brakey shoe having a socket. 1n,

Yits innerface, a rectangularlyslottedk plate cast into the inner face ofthe brake shoe with its slot over said socket, and a rectangularly `headed bolt, receivable throughV said slot and its inner'face', a rectangularly slotted plate cast into the inner face of thebrake shoe With its'slotrover said socket, and a rectangularly headed bolt, receivable through-said slot and into said socket, only when in oneangular position of Vthe bolt, passingthrough a noncircular opening in the shoe beam, the shank of the bolt, for but Ya short vdistance adjacent its head, being'shaped to match said non-circularopening, whereby to Vdetachably conneet the shoe to the beam, means to cause the bolt: to drawthe shoe and beamtogether and matching tongue and groovemeans in the shoe and beam to prevent relative movement therebetween when the shoe is drawn agains the beam. f

131A brake shoe forear retarders of the track brake type, comprising, a cast Vmetal shoe, pocketsy in the rear face ofthe shoe.v a steel insert secured inl the rearV face of the shoe and having slots positioned over the said pockets, said slots and pockets being symmetrically positioned in the shoe, wherebyV to permit the shoe to beused when re-` versed, endfor end, and top for bottom.

14. A brake shoe of friction material, formed `with an inner recess and a connecting slot in one face of theshoe, said slotV being shaped to admit the headrof a fastening member, and said -recess being shaped to permit turning `of said fastening member through an angle to thus retain it in place.

15. In a car retarder, in combination, a brake yshoe having a socket inwardly of its inner face, a rectangular slot in the inner face of said brake shoe positioned over, and connected with, said socket, and a rectangularly headed bolt receivable through said slot and into said socket only when in one angular po sition of the bolt, and rotatable within said socket, for detachably connecting the shoe to a carrier member. Y V

16 For use in a car retarder, a brake shoe,

-oneface of said shoe having a rectangular slottherein, and an inner socket in the shoe connected to said slot and having its smallest dimension parallel to said one face at least substantially equal to the length of said rectangular slot, whereby to furnish connecting. means for said shoe. f i

p `17. For use'n a car retarder, a brake shoe, onefface of saidshoehavlng a rectangular 1 slot therein, `anl an nner'socketin the shoe connected tosaid slot and having its smallestY dimension parallel to said one face .at least;

lo shoe.

substantially equal to the length of said rectangular slot, whereby to lfurnish connecting means for said shoe and a retaining tongue on said shoe proj eating beyond said; face of said '.15 block positioned over and connected Withthe said pockets, sadslots and pockets being symmetricallypositionedin the shoe, Whereloy to permit the shoe to loel used `v'vhen reversed, end kfor end,V and top for loottoin.v

"20 In testimony whereof I ax rny signature. 

